Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Here, I am relying on the broad shoulders
of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards to carry an accumulation of reviews – not just of
Tinhorn but of some of its peers.

The big news from Tinhorn Creek is the
release of the winery’s first reserve Pinot Noir, its 2008 Oldfield Series
Pinot Noir. This variety is virtually every winemaker’s Holy Grail. When a
winery gets it right, it means that this finicky variety was well grown and
that the winemakers did not screw it up.

Tinhorn Creek got it right. The other
detail to note is the age of both of its Pinot Noirs. The reserve is almost
four years old and the regular is almost three years old. After working on its
release cycle for several years, the winery is able to give its reds more time
to develop in bottle before release. Thus, the wines are more ready for
consumption when you buy them.

In theory, that should increase the price
of the wines. Somebody should be paying for the storage. But Tinhorn Creek is
pricing its wines very fairly.

The winery reviews are alphabetical here.

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It has been a busy summer at Black Hills, with the opening of a $1 million tasting
room and, now, the release of a second label, called Cellarhand. At least, that
is how the winery spells it in a media release. On the bottles, the label is
two words, both lowercase.

The logic behind a second label is simple.
Any winery that wants to elevate its first labels – and Black Hills certainly
is trying to raise the bar with Nota Bene, its premium red blend – will have
some wine that does not make the cut for the blend. This certainly still is
good wine, just not up to bottling in wines selling at more than $50 each.

A winery without a second label usually
sells the cull wine. There are not many Okanagan wineries that would turn down
the culls from Black Hills, knowing the
quality is there easily for blends fetching $20 to $25.

Well, Black Hills
decided to bottle the culls for its own second label. The result: very good
wines at reasonable prices.

The current releases from Black
Hills include both its flagship wines and the new second label
wines.

Black Hills Nota Bene 2010 ($53 for a
production of 3,300 cases). As usual, this blend is anchored with Cabernet
Sauvignon, at 57%, with Merlot at 32% and Cabernet Franc at 11%. The Cabernet
Sauvignon contributes a touch of mint to the aroma and flavour, complementing
the cassis aroma. The wine has luscious flavours of black currant and plum,
with long, ripe tannins. The wine finishes with a polished elegance. 92.

Black Hills Carmenère 2010 ($50 for a
production of 300 cases). This is an
interesting and complex red with aromas of pepper and red berries. The pepper
carries through to the palate, along with flavours of plum, black cherry and
chocolate. The alcohol is a moderate 12.2%, as it was in 2009, a much warmer
vintage. This seems to be a variety that develops flavour before packing on the
sugar. 90.

Black Hills Alibi 2011 ($24.90). This
is a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon. The Sémillon was
barrel-fermented in oak puncheons. The wine begins with aromas of herbs,
grapefruit and lime, leading to flavours of grapefruit, kiwi and peach. The
Sémillon contributes to the full texture and the subtle notes of honey. 90.

Cellar
hand Punch Down Red 2010 ($24.90). This is a blend
of 45% Syrah, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. This is a delicious and
accessible red, with aromas of plum, black cherry and pepper. On the palate,
there are flavours of peppery black cherry along with the gamy fruit of the
Syrah. The texture is generous. 89.

Cellar
hand Free Run White 2011 ($15.90). This is amazing
value. The wine is a blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay,
Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The percentages are not disclosed, not that that
matters to most consumers. The wine is a fruit salad of aromas and flavours:
ripe peaches, apricots, melons and a touch of apple. It has a fine spine of
minerals and tannin (the Viognier kicking in?) that gives the wine a crisp
focus; yet the texture is rich and lingering. 90.

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Clos du Soleil Winery is a four-year-old
producer which sells its wines through its website, and private wine stores and
now from its wine shop on Upper
Bench Road near Keremeos.

The partnership which operates this winery,
headed by a former Canadian naval officer named Spencer Massey, draws its wine
styling inspiration from France.
The wines are made by Ann Sperling, a member of a pioneering Kelowna grape growing family. A winemaker now
with 28 years experience, she works in Ontario
as well as in the Okanagan. Her hand shows in the polished wines that Clos du
Soleil is releasing.

Clos
du Soleil Fumé Blanc 2011 ($19.90 for 450
cases). A portion of this wine, which is 98% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Sémillon,
was fermented in new 500 litre French Oak puncheons. The oak is suitably subtle, allowing the
fruit aromas and flavours to keep the centre of the stage. The aromas includes
herbs, lemon and lime. There is a lovely note of lime on the textured palate,
with a crisp, dry finish. 91.

Clos
du Soleil Pinot Blanc 2011 ($18.90 for 180 cases).
This is the second release of this wine from the Baessler family’s Similkameen
vineyard. The wine is crisp and tangy, with aromas of green apples and citrus.
On the palate, there are flavours of apples with a backbone of minerals and
bright acidity. The wine is clean and refreshing; I think setting aside a few
bottles for a year would be rewarding. 88

Clos du Soleil Célestiale 2010 ($24.90
for 250 cases). One of several Bordeaux blends from this
boutique producer, this is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot.
The wine begins with aromas of red fruit and vanilla. On the generous palate,
there are flavours of cherries, plum, chocolate and tobacco, with long ripe
tannins. 90.

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Laughing Stock Vineyards has emerged as one
of the star producers on the Naramata Bench since David and Cynthia Enns opened
it in 2005. This summer, the winery made
Profit magazine’s annual list as one of the 200 fastest growing companies in Canada – the
only winery on that list. According to the magazine, the winery – which
produced 6,000 cases in the 2011 vintage – has had a five year revenue growth
of 279%.

That reflects both the effective way in
which the wines are marketed and the quality of the wines. Among Laughing
Stock’s niches: Portfolio, its flagship Bordeaux
blend, has become a leading gift wine among corporations. And Portfolio and its
little brother, Blind Trust Red, were among the top sellers
last year among B.C.’s Meritage style wines.

Portfolio is not among the releases that
the winery sent me earlier this spring. Blind
Trust Red 2010 ($29.10) was but the bottle was corked; hence, no review.
However, Laughing Stock has such a track record that I never hesitate in buying
the wines even without having tasted them.

A note for wine tourists: Laughing Stock
has reverted to opening its wine shop by appointment only this year. With only
a six-car parking lot, it had to do something to control the traffic that
overwhelmed the winery last year.

Here are notes on those I did taste.

Laughing
Stock Pinot Gris 2011 ($22.10). This appealing wine
begins with aromas of pear and citrus, leading to flavours of pear and peach in
a juicy fruit cup of a wine. 90.

Laughing
Stock Blind Trust White 2011 ($25.10). When you
unwrap the capsule, you find that this is a blend of 43% Pinot Gris, 29% Pinot Blanc
and 28% Viognier. The blend varies from year to year – you need to trust
winemaker David Enns to come up with an interesting blend. This is a crisp and
dry white with flavours of apples, melon and citrus, with a spine of minerals
and with the full texture that suggests lees stirring was involved. 88.

Laughing
Stock Viognier 2011 ($26.10). The wine begins with
tropical fruit aromas of apricot, peach and guava. It delivers a rich bowl of
fruit, including flavours of pineapple, papaya and apricot. The fruitiness
fools the palate with luscious sweetness. The finish is dry and refreshing. 90.

Laughing
Stock In The Pink Rosé 2011 ($22.10). Every $2 from
a sales of this wine goes to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Salmon pink
in colour, the wine has aromas of strawberry, plum jam and, surprisingly,
chocolate. There are flavours of crabapple, plum and cherry. The wine has a
crisp and almost austerely dry finish. 89.

Laughing Stock Syrah 2010 ($34.10). This wine, only the third Syrah release from the winery,
won a Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence this year. In fact, Laughing
Stock is a repeat winner of this award; last year, it won with a Pinot Gris.
This wine is made in the classic Côte
Rotie style, blending 94% Syrah with 6% Viognier. The grapes are grown near
Osoyoos, superb Syrah terroir. The wine has white pepper on the nose, with a
touch of that on the palate. Big and generous, the wine tastes of plum and
black cherry. 90.

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SpierHead Winery is a two-year-old winery
in East Kelowna, located in former apple
orchard. A number of the trees have been retained, bordering the charming
driveway that leads to this winery.

The estate vineyard is called the Gentlemen
Farmer Vineyard, reflecting that the partners here – a professional
photographer, a lawyer and a broker (and their wives) – might be considered
gentlemen farmers.

The Riesling is the second vintage from the
property while the Pinot Noir is the first vintage. “Recognizing that the Pinot
Noir is a juvenile wine, we are not trying to overreach with pricing,” says
Bill Knutson, one of the owners, explaining why it has been released at $17.90.

Well, I think he is underselling the wine.
You should snap up this wine because, at that price, it is a great bargain.
Look for it in VQA and other private wine stores if you don’t get to the
winery.

The latest news from this winery is that it
has just hired Bill Pierson as its winemaker. Bill most recently was the
winemaker at FortBerens and, before that,
assistant winemaker at CedarCreek.

SpierHead
Riesling 2011 ($21.90 for 185 cases). This wine
begins with aromas of citrus and herbs. On the palate, there are bright lemon
flavours with a refreshing, tangy acidity. Even though the wine has almost 12
grams of residual sugar, the balance gives it a finish that is crisp and seems
dry. 89.

SpierHead
Pinot Noir 2010 ($17.90 for 534 cases). Dark in
colour, this wine is made with three Pinot Noir clones. It spent 11 months in
French oak. The aromas include hints of the oak, along with spicy cherry. On
the palate, there are cherry and strawberry flavours, with a texture that is
evolving toward the silkiness of the varietal. This wine has 12.1% alcohol,
accounting for its lively feminine style. 90.

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Tinhorn
Creek Chardonnay 2011 ($17.99). This is a light,
fruit-forward Chardonnay; only 15% went into new French oak. The aroma has a
hint of orange, leading to apple and citrus flavours and a spicy, dry finish.
88.

Tinhorn
Creek Pinot Noir 2009 ($19.99). This fleshy wine,
with 14.7% alcohol, reflects the big ripe vintage that 2009 was. There are
aromas of spice, herbs and cherries, with flavours of strawberries and
cherries. 89.

Tinhorn
Creek Oldfield Series Pinot Noir 2008 ($29.99 for
250 cases). Three years of bottle aging have enabled this wine to develop an
elegantly silky texture. The aroma opens with spice and raspberry. On the
palate there are concentrated flavours of cherry and raspberry, with a hint of
mocha on the finish. 90.

Tinhorn
Creek Cabernet Franc 2010 ($19.99 for 2,882 cases).
This wine explodes with vibrant, juicy red fruit – raspberry, blackberry – with
a note of vanilla and cedar on the finish and with a tannin structure
suggesting this will develop well in the cellar. The screw cap is doing its job
in keep the fruit lively and fresh. 89.

Tinhorn
Creek Oldfield Series Kerner Icewine 2011 ($29.90
for 200 ml). This wine begins with rich aromas of honey, baked apples and
apricot. Superbly balanced, it is not at all cloying. Rather, the flavours of
apple pie with cinnamon and caramel are delicious and linger cleanly on the
long finish. 92.

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About Me

John Schreiner is Canada's most prolific writer of books on wine. Since his first book in 1984, The World of Canadian Wine, he has written 15, including multiple editions of The Wineries of British Columba, British Columbia Wine Country and John Schreiner's Okanagan Wine Tour Guide.